First time bowyer looking for type of wood for a selfbow

[Arbator177]

Hello everyone! 

I am making a quick little post here about making my second bow, first one I tried with hickory backed red oak core and maple belly which cracked while I was working on the final tiller ( oh no!), anyways I figured I would try something a bit easier than a laminated English Warbow for my first shot at bow making.

Thing is I've learned a lot from shaping out my first bow and as much as I want to make a powerful or sweet design bow I figured I should try to make something simple that just works and go from there.  Fortunately in the process of making my first bow I got one of my friends hooked and he wants to join in as well! Hurray! 

As much as I want to spend on more expensive or simply harder to get wood, I think possibly going over to lowes and finding a solid piece of wood that I can make a stave from. Any ideas what would be best for a cheaper more common wood? Like red oak, maple, ash, hickory or any of the sort?
Let me know of you're thoughts.
Thanks!

[DavidV]

Hickory is what I cut my teeth on. It's forgiving of tiller and grain but still tells you when you did something wrong. You can play around with heat treating, trapping, recurves or just keep it simple.

[wizardgoat]

Where do you live?

[George Tsoukalas]

Red oak. Let it bend in the handle. Change the dimensions on this buildalong to 1 3/8" wide out to mid limb. 1/2 inch nocks. No narrowing of handle.

http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/boardbowbuildalong.html

[bubby]

Red oak. Leet it bend in the handle. Change the dimensions on this buildalong to 1 3/8" wide out to mid limb. 1/2 inch nocks. No narrowing of handle.

http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/boardbowbuildalong.html


great info on jawges site, it will get you going in the right direction

[huisme]

I started on Oregon ash and Black locust, pretty much at the same time, the locust turned out better and taught me a little more

[Comancheria]

Well, I am certainly glad MY first bow (last week) didn't crack.  I won't say it exploded, but the U.S. Geological Survey wired Japan to see if another one of their nuclear plants had blown up!

You have come to the right place for advice, Arbator.  These guys will help.

Russ 

[Drewster]

George has good advise and red oak will likely be the easiest wood for you to find at a Lowes or Home Depot.  If you have a hardwood lumber company in your area or a flooring manufacturer, hickory is very tough and will make a fine bow.  Good luck with you wood hunt and have fun.  Building bows can be highly addictive.

[Comancheria]

Also, Home Depot allows you to order hickory and maple boards for store delivery in nominal 1x2, 1x3, and 1x4 in lengths of 6 and 8 feet.  If you have ripping capability, they come in 1x6 and I think, 1x12 as well.  While I know that my own breakage was my fault--and not that of the red oak 1x2 I used, I have, on Bubby's advice, decided to go with maple.  (I live in a humid climate, so that will be my preference over the hickory).  I don't need to add that the downside of store delivery is that you don't get to select your board--somebody they just hired away from flipping burgers does.

Best of luck,

Russ

[bradsmith2010]

I seem to be able to find nice red oak at lowes

[Knoll]

If a Menards is within driving range ... I've been told they stock hickory.

[crooketarrow]

STAVES
LOTS OF WOODS,SEASONED YEARS
SPRAYED,HAND SPLIT,BARK KEPT
INFO 304 274-1319 OR 304 995-3090
CROOKETARROWSSLFBOWS@GMAIL.COM

[FilipT]

Do you ship internationally?

[Dictionary]

CROOKETARROW BACK FROM THE DEAD AND BRINGS A THREAD FROM THE STONE AGES WITH HIM.

[Hrothgar]

If you can get ash, it will make a good, low poundage elb, and be fairly easy to work. Or hickory for a shorter flat bow, pyramid design is easy and simple.